4 school workers lose jobs, licenses

A second charter-school treasurer has been permanently banned from working in schools because the state says he didn't prevent the misspending of more than $600,000 in public money.

Jennifer Smith Richards, The Columbus Dispatch

A second charter-school treasurer has been permanently banned from working in schools because the state says he didn’t prevent the misspending of more than $600,000 in public money.

Edward E. Dudley Sr., who runs Gahanna-based LED Consulting, oversaw finances at several charter schools, at least one of which closed in financial ruin. The State Board of Education voted yesterday to accept the voluntary surrender of his school treasurer’s license, which it then revoked. The resolution to revoke it makes it clear that he admits no wrongdoing.

A state audit released in June held Dudley responsible for $170,000 in misspending at the Carter G. Woodson Institute in Dayton, which used to be called Arise Academy. It closed in 2010. But Dudley already had been held liable for $440,000 in misspending at seven other charter schools in previous years.

He has said that he struggled to force charter schools to operate by the books, and, when he tried, the charter-school boards fired him. Most of the misspending dealt with poorly documented spending by school officials.

“I am not a thief,” Dudley said yesterday. “I am relieved to not be working in charter schools. It’s an unfortunate circumstance.”

The state board, which decides whether school workers accused of wrongdoing can keep their licenses, also banned the following local educators from working in Ohio schools:

• Stephanie S. Coukart, 43, a special-education teacher at Westerville South High School. Coukart was convicted in a Franklin County court in March of a misdemeanor count of attempted possession of heroin. She had pleaded guilty to the lesser offense after being charged with outright possession. She had been teaching in Westerville since 2000. Coukart, who could not be reached, won’t be allowed to apply for new licenses.

• Marilyn R. Hiestand, 67, a former business and economics teacher for Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow, an online charter school. Between August 2009 and November 2010, Hiestand hired and paid her former student — then a college student without a teaching license — to grade student work for her. Hiestand said she had serious vision problems. She gave the former student computer access to other students’ personal information. Her hired “grader” handed out assignments and often responded to students’ emails and inquiries about their class work. Online students and the school thought they were interacting with Hiestand, until her stand-in contacted the school to ask whether any other teachers needed “her services as a grader” because Hiestand wasn’t paying her anymore.

During the state hearing to determine whether Hiestand should lose her teaching licenses, she said, “As far as I can tell, no students were harmed by this arrangement. In fact, they were helped.” She didn’t seem to understand that student records are confidential, the hearing officer wrote in a report. Hiestand did not return a phone call seeking comment.

ECOT fired Hiestand in December 2010. She had worked for the school since 2000. Hiestand won’t be allowed to apply for new licenses.

• Thomas Ore, 44, a former German teacher at Pickerington High School North. Ore pleaded guilty to a charge of public indecency in Franklin County Municipal Court in April 2011. A few months earlier, he had been arrested after he exposed himself and masturbated in the Zodiac Bookstore, an adult bookstore on the South Side. Pickerington school officials held Ore in high regard, praising him in a reference letter after his arrest and resignation. He had worked in the district since 1992. He could not be reached for comment.

The board voted to permanently revoke his license.

jsmithrichards@dispatch.com

@jsmithrichards

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